The importance of timely influenza vaccinationemphasizes the Ministry of Health and especially for those who belong to high -risk groups. Early vaccination protects effectively against severe disease or even death, and especially for people with increased vulnerability.

Anticidal vaccines available for the period 2025-2026 include Vaxigrip Tiv, Influvac, Flucelvax, Eflulda, Fluad and Fluenzwith specific indications by age and health status. The right formulation is always selected with the safety of the individual, including pregnant women and high -risk individuals. Anticiptic vaccination is safe, effective and can be co-administered with the COVID-19 vaccine in different parts of the body.

Conventional anti -influenza vaccines can also be administered to pharmacies, without a prescription, in accordance with applicable law. Each vaccination is compulsorily registered in the National Register of Vaccinations, ensuring proper monitoring, information to the competent bodies and protection of public health.

Deputy Minister of Health Irene Agapidakis calls on all citizens to be vaccinated in a timely manner, to adhere to protection guidelines and to help prevent serious complications and reduce hospitalization.

Detailed instructions on anti -influenza vaccination are included in a circular of the Ministry of Health.

Influenza is a contagious disease of the respiratory system due to the influenza virus. It can cause mild to severe disease, but sometimes it can even lead to death. The elderly, young children and people with some chronic diseases are at greater risk for serious influenza complications.

According to timeless epidemiological surveillance in Greece, it appears that seasonal influenza activity usually shows an increase in January, which culminates between February and March and is often accompanied by disruption of professional and social life, an excessive increase in drug consumption rather than a rare increase.

Measures to limit the spread of influenza include systematic application of individual hygiene measures (eg frequent hand washing), isolation of sufferers and avoiding synchronization in indoors. However, these measures have limited efficiency and – though significantly – are not sufficient.

The most effective way of prevention is vaccination with the influenza vaccine, which, when administered properly and timely, protects against the transmission of the virus, contributes to the protection against serious complications, as well as to reduce the absences from work, school and any other social event.

It is expected that, for the upcoming 2025-2026 influenza period, influenza virus will be released parallel to the SARS-COV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease.

Vaccination recommendations

According to our country’s national vaccination program, anti-influenza vaccination recommendations for the next period 2025-2026 include priority the following population groups or increased risk situations:

1. People aged 60 and older

2. Infants and children aged 6 months to 5 years

3. Children over 5 years of age and adults with one or more of the following aggravating factors or chronic diseases:

* Chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

* Heart disease with severe hemodynamic disorder

* Immunosuppression (hereditary or acquired)

* Organ transplantation and bone marrow transplantation

* Drepanocytic anemia (and other hemoglobinopathies)

* Diabetes mellitus or other chronic metabolic disease

* Years of kidney disease

* Chronic liver diseases

* Neurological-Native Diseases

* Down Syndrome

4. Pregnancy regardless of pregnancy age, bales and lactating.

5. People with pathogenic obesity (body mass index> 40kg/m2) and children with BMI> 95th.

6. Children receiving long -term aspirin (eg for Kawasaki disease, rheumatoid arthritis and more).

7. People who are in close contact with children less than 6 months either take care of or live with people with underlying disease, who increases the risk of complications of influenza.

8. Closed populations, such as staff and domestic students (schools, military and police schools, special schools, etc.), recruits, chronic adhesion institutions and elderly hospitality units, detention facilities.

9. Employees in Health Services Provisions (medical staff, other employees, clinical health professions) and refugee-migrant residence centers.

10. Homeless.

11. Veterinarians, poultry farmers, pigs, breeders [συμπεριλαμβανομένων εκτροφέων μίνκ (γουνοφόρα θηλαστικά)]workers in slaughterhouses and generally people who come in systematic contact with birds or pigs.

Vaccine Administration Instructions

The influenza vaccine should be administered in a timely manner before the start of the influenza outbreaks, as it takes about 2 weeks to achieve immune response. Preferably, according to the start of outbreaks in our country, anti -influenza vaccination must be performed from mid -October until the end of November. Since vaccination is not performed in the recommended period, it can be replenished throughout the seasonal influenza.

Anticiptic vaccination generally includes only 1 dose of vaccine per year.

Infants and children of <9 years old who are vaccinated for the first time, or those of the ages <9 years who had previously received 1 dose of influenza vaccine need 2 doses of anti -influenza vaccine, with a interval of at least 28 days.

In infants ≥6 months of age 0.5 ml (the entire dose) is given, according to the instructions by official European or other drug carriers.